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Three cross-functional benefits of business innovation

Results

New technologies take time and testing before their potential as business transformers can be realised. The following article explores why assessing technologies that already exist across industries and business functions is a better strategy for innovation in the enterprise.

Shape-shifting might be easy for start-ups, but the size and scale of multi-national organisations can make it difficult for global companies to adapt and stay current in a fast-changing market.

Enterprises are increasingly turning to the cloud, machine-to-machine and mobile technologies, as well as reviewing their global communications strategies, to explore opportunities to innovate and keep pace. Using these technologies businesses are better placed to capture, access and analyse information to develop meaningful insights and identify opportunities that can drive creativity and profitability from the C-Suite down.

1. Dashboards for 360 C-Suite Visibility

Making sure the right information is accessed by the right people at the right levels is critical to ensuring business decisions are made based on meaningful and accurate insight. While many business dashboards require data scientists to decipher the complex technologies and information they portray, simply refining them to become more user-friendly provides executives with greater and more accurate visibility over company activities and costs. This can include global device deployment, enterprise wide comms or the latest sales or procurement costs at any time and on any device. All of which makes them easier to understand, helping the C-Suite make decisions that drive change through the business.

2. Gamification for Generation-Y Recruitment

Many businesses have already introduced BYOD strategies and seen the potential this has to increase mobility among employees. The missing piece of the puzzle for many however, is turning increased mobility into increased collaboration. More forward-thinking enterprises have already taken steps to address this, with some HR departments currently working on ways to unlock the potential of technologies already used in other industries – working with game developers to create a culture that, just like Angry Birds, appeals to and motivates Generation-Y end-users.

3. Big Data for Smart Marketing

Marketers are among the latest departments to innovate by aggregating the information within their mobile networks to extract customer patterns that can fundamentally change how their businesses operate. Once again, this hinges on having easily consumable dashboards.

Access to network information is helping marketers identify real-time patterns in people’s movements providing better visibility and bigger marketing opportunities shaped by shopper habits. The data provides insight into how full a shopping centre is and if more staff are required to service customers. Equally it can help them identify how full a car park is to alert people when it is full or if there are spaces available.

Think inside the box

All enterprises have access to the same tools and technology so this in itself isn’t enough to differentiate. The difference is in how that technology is used.

In a market where pressures faced by businesses are extreme the allure of new and untried technologies that promise to support business ease and efficiency can be appealing. Before making the decision to invest in the unknown, why not assess the tools that already sit within the business. Organisations that are able to look back understand and exploit technology investments of the past will be much more successful at innovating in the future.

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